The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will issue permits for individuals interested in chaining up commercial vehicles during the winter months along specific sections of Interstate 84 in eastern Oregon.

This year the ODOT District 13 office in La Grande will issue three permits for the I-84 Ladd Canyon area in Union County; the District 12 office in Pendleton will issue five permits for I-84 in the Umatilla County area; and the District 14 office in Ontario will issue one permit for I-84 west of Ontario in Malheur County.

Interested parties need to contact the appropriate ODOT district office before October 31. Random drawings held on November 1 at each ODOT office will determine who will be offered the ODOT permits.

“Throughout the month of October, the ODOT District 12, 13 and 14 offices will collect names and addresses of those interested in obtaining a permit to assist truck drivers in chaining their vehicles for winter driving conditions,” said ODOT Permit Specialists Tom Lapp. “After the drawing, those individuals selected will have one week to complete the permit application and return it to the district office.”

Only persons who have the chain-up permits will be allowed to provide this service to truck drivers in designated chain-up areas. The permits will be valid between Nov. 1, 2013 and April 1, 2014.

“This is a safety issue,” Lapp said. “Limiting the permits for each district is necessary to help control the number of people working along state highways during winter weather conditions.”

For more information, interested parties should contact the appropriate ODOT office: